I'll Look After You
by AnnHarrisForever
Summary: Extended scene between Andrea and Dale in the CDC at the end of 1x06


**A/N I decided to write this after watching Season 1 and wishing the scene in the CDC between Andrea and Dale had been extended. All right belong to Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Frank Darabont. I'd like to say a huge thank you to Dannythelion1st for being beta. All I have left to say is sit back, relax and enjoy reading.**

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Some of the others in the group had hesitated for a brief moment, even though time was running out for them. They were waiting for Dale to join them. But he wouldn't leave without Andrea, he just couldn't.

Jacqui had decided to stay with Jenner but when Dale's eyes saw Andrea still in the room unmoving, a flood of emotions ran through him; anger, hurt, sadness, shock. She couldn't do this, she still had a life to live, he wasn't about to lose her, not now, not like this.

Andrea met Dale's anguished expression as she spoke.

"I'm staying, too."

Those three words hit Dale like a bulldozer.

_This can't be happening, it can't._

"Andrea, no!" He exclaimed adamantly.

Realising that there wasn't much time left and not wanting to hold Rick, Lori and young Carl back any longer Dale turned around and motioned for them to leave as he shouted, "Just go! Go! We'll be right behind you."

Rick nodded before turning with his family and running down the hallway towards the exit.

Dale quickly moved around the rows of computers till he knelt in front of Andrea who sat with her back against one of the tables, looking anywhere but at him.

He placed his hands on her knees gently.

"Andrea, you can't do this! This isn't what Amy would want for you! She'd want you to live, to carry on."

Her clear blue eyes met his brown ones as she replied matter-of-factly. "She's dead. And you need to leave."

She couldn't look at him any longer and turned her gaze away. Dale frantically tried to search her eyes, but she wouldn't look at him. She was staring at the countdown on the wall which showed there was only three minutes left before the whole building would explode.

"Time's almost up."

Dale stroked her face gently with his weathered hands.

_Fine, if she's not going to leave then neither am I._

"OK." Dale nodded. "You win."

Standing up, he turned and sat in the chair opposite her.

Andrea's brow furrowed and her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"What are you doing?"

"I said ok."

She shook her head angrily. No, he couldn't do this. He couldn't ruin this chance for her, not now.

"Don't pull this, Dale."

He met her gaze, his brown eyes were serious, and he wasn't going to back down now.

"I'm not pulling anything. If you're staying, I stay, too. Besides he's right. We know what's waiting for us out there. I don't want to face it alone, not without you."

His voice was filled with a poignant yet serious tone that made Andrea feel angry and yet guilty at the same time. He had been the one who had saved her and Amy. The one who had been like a father to them and she was doing this to him, hurting him like this.

"Dale… Get the hell out of here. I don't want you here!" She said angrily, she didn't want his death on her conscience. But perhaps this was his way of making her see sense and as she looked in his eyes she had her answer, and she hated him for it.

Dale's jaw tightened while his eyes narrowed. He controlled his temper, his tone clipped as he spoke, "Too bad. You don't get to do that. To… to come into somebody's life, make them care, then just check out! Because that's what you and your sister did, Andrea! You gave me the strength to carry on in this gods forsaken hell hole of a life we now live in. Can you not see that? You know when Irma lost the baby, we accepted that we wouldn't have children and when she passed I didn't care anymore. I think if I hadn't found you and Amy perhaps I would have joined her. But you were the children I never had, so I'm thankful for that. Regardless, I'm staying. The matter is settled."

Silent tears fell down Andrea's cheeks at what he'd told her and as much as she hated him for guilt-tripping her to change her mind, a small part of her was thankful.

Dale watched as she stood up and walked over to embrace Jacqui.

_She's saying goodbye._

Andrea walked back towards Dale who stood up and without saying anything, they hurried towards the main entrance of the CDC before it was too late.

Luckily Rick and the group hadn't left, and after escaping from the building and running for cover until the explosion was over Dale and Andrea got in the RV as the survivors drove away. They didn't speak on the journey, and when he looked at her she shook her head still upset and angry for what he had done. He turned his gaze away.

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Later that night when the group had found a safe enough place to stop and camp, Dale patrolled for a while, making sure it was free of walkers until T-Dog relieved him from patrol so that he could rest.

When he entered the RV he found Andrea sitting on the cot and when she heard him enter she turned her back to him.

_We can't keep going on like this._

Sitting beside her he said, "Andrea, this needs to stop. We need to talk. You know it would be nice if you thanked me for what I did back at the CDC."

She snapped her head around to glare at him angrily as she retorted, "Thanks? For what? Taking away the only other chance other than my father's gun I had to leave this life?"

"Andrea, I saved your life. You weren't thinking clearly."

"Oh this just keeps getting better," she scoffed as she continued, "It was the first time I've thought clearly in a while. I want out of this life. I have nothing to live for now that Amy has gone. This life we live in is pointless, but you can't see that can you? You just don't know when to back off."

"Now, Andrea that's enough."

"No! You know the only reason I decided to leave the CDC was because I didn't want your blood on my hands. I was never your problem to worry or care about in the first place."

Standing up abruptly she walked to the door wanting to be as far away from him as possible but he stood up too and grabbed her arm, making her turn to face him.

"Now you listen to me, Andrea! No, you're right you weren't my problem to worry or care about, but I chose to care and worry about you because you're the only thing close enough to family I have now. And you can hate me as much as you want, but the truth is your sister would not have wanted you to waste your life like that, regardless of whether she were here or not."

She could hear the strain in his voice as much as he controlled himself to stop the emotions from overpowering him, but as she met his gaze and looked into his eyes she knew it was true.

She let out the tears she'd been holding back. They fell thick and fast as the sobs wracked her body. She felt his arms envelope her as cried into his shoulder.

"I'm here. I'm always going to be here, Andrea. You just need to let me in," he said gently as he rubbed circles on her back, trying to soothe her as best he could.

They stayed like that for a while, Dale holding her as she wept. When she eventually pulled back to look at him with tear stained cheeks she said in a hoarse voice from crying, "Dale, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"Shhh, it's alright," he replied as he placed a kiss on her forehead. The contact made her feel warm inside.

They were at ease with each other now that the air had been cleared between them, they would start afresh.

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**Until next time everyone.**

**AnnHarrisForever x**


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